Kappas Are Friends, Not Food
by starspangledpumpkin
Summary: Luna Lovegood is on a search for a Kappa. For the Houses Competition.


Hufflepuff

Fifth Year

Standard

Word Count: 1130

Prompt: [Creature] Kappa (Creature)

Stacked With: Spring Bingo; the Houses Competition; Fem-Power Challenge; Wouldn't It Be Interesting?;

Space Address: 1A - Green

Challenges: Click-Bait It; Yellow Ribbon; Short Jog; Ethnic and Present;

Bonus: Bechdel Test; Not a Lamp; Thimble

~o0o~

Luna found the Iwate Prefecture of Japan absolutely lovely. There weren't very many people but it was lush with life and creatures, which suited her needs just fine. For her year abroad, Luna wasn't just on a mission to discover the creatures her father told her about. She also wanted to follow in the footsteps of Newt Scamander and see the world's fantastic beasts for herself. The next on her list was the Kappa and the Iwate Prefecture was said to be full of them. She'd been there three days and not a single sign of the creature.

So, she decided to ask the locals. Magical or Muggle, a creature that was supposedly as common as the Kappa might have some sightings. If anything, they would think she was a mad tourist, so her cover as a witch was safe either way.

"_Excuse me,"_ she asked, in broken Japanese, to a woman about her age running a fruit stand with a green umbrella. _"Where I find a Kappa? I look everywhere."_

"I'll show you where to find Kappas if you stop speaking in Japanese," said the woman, her tone light. "It's hurting my ears."

Luna lit up. "Yes, of course!"

The woman called back into the house behind her and a boy about ten took her place at the stand.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," said Luna, bowing slightly.

"Sango," she replied, tipping her head. "Follow me. It's not far."

Luna and Sango wove through the crowded marketplace and came upon a restaurant.

"Here is the best Kappa in the whole region!"

Luna placed a hand on her cheek in horror and followed Sango inside. She half-expected to see a tank full of the creatures. She sat at the bar with Sango and decided that if this woman was to make her eat a Kappa, she would just have to refuse.

Sango spoke to the chef. He laughed and nodded before taking out a rather large cucumber and slicing it up with ease. Luna's horror turned to confusion, which then turned to realization as she remembered her Kappa lore.

"Kappa is another word for cucumber, isn't it?" she said.

"Not exactly," said Sango. "It's for a cucumber sushi roll." The chef placed a wooden slab in front of them. "Try some, it's refreshing."

Luna ate most of it and snuck a piece into her pocket as a peace offering for the real Kappa.

Sango looked at Luna and began laughing.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Your expression when I brought you here was just really funny. I wanted to see what you were like before I brought you to the real Kappa."

"So you believe in them, then," said Luna.

"Of course," said Sango. "There were three of them living at Mahoutokoro."

Ah, so this woman was a witch.

"Some of us have non-magical jobs," said Sango. "I'm the only witch in my family and there wasn't a job that resonated with me, so I keep up the family fruit stand which is the most popular in the village."

"My father runs a magazine," said Luna. "He quit the Ministry of Magic after my mother died."

"Ah, I understand," said Sango. "I lost my father when I was young."

They moved on to lighter conversation. Luna explained to Sango about the creatures she grew up hearing about and had yet to prove existed.

"I don't know about Blibbering Humdingers and Snorkacks," said Sango, "but Wrackspurts make sense. Come, I'll show you the Kappa now. Perhaps afterwards you would like to join me and my family for dinner? My nephew would find you fascinating."

"Oh, that would be lovely," said Luna. "Both the Kappa and the dinner."

Luna insisted on paying the bill since Sango was acting as her guide. The two women made their way out of the restaurant, through the village, and eventually came across a sign that read "Danger! Kappa Ahead."

"Oh," said Luna. "I suppose I could have followed the signs."

Sango laughed, climbed the fence, and held Luna's pack for her while she followed suit. Luna could feel her hair frizzing on par with Hermione's from the humidity and smelled of rain in the air.

"I've heard varied stories about the Kappa," said Luna. "Are the ones here friendly or dangerous like the sign says?"

"It depends on the region," said Sango. "Just like with werewolves. American werewolves don't usually attack humans, while European werewolves do. The Kappas here tend to be on the friendlier side while Kappas in the more populated areas tend to be more dangerous."

"That makes sense," said Luna marking the information down in her field guide. "How would I befriend one?"

"Just like you would befriend anyone." Sango produced a cucumber from her purse. "Offer them a gift of food."

They came upon a stream and sat down on a fallen log where they waited in silence. In spite of her excitement, Luna nearly dozed off. There was something calming about the babble of the stream, the cries of the creatures in the woods, and the wind blowing through the trees.

"He's here," said Sango.

Luna opened her eyes and saw a mottled, green, turtle-like shell bobbing in the water. Moments later, the head of the Kappa surfaced. It had beady black eyes and the bowl in its head was full of water. The creature prodded through the weeds in search of food and paid the two women no mind.

Moving ever-so-quietly, Luna removed her field guide and a pen from her bag and made a rough sketch of it.

"You can approach him," Sango whispered. "He is in a good mood."

With only the cucumber in hand, Luna stood and walked toward the Kappa in a slow, but non-threatening manner.

"_Good afternoon, Kappa-san,"_ said Luna, hoping he didn't find her Japanese as painful as Sango had. _"I bring you cucumber."_

The Kappa stood and faced her.

"Show him some respect," Sango called.

Oh, right. Luna bowed low. The Kappa bowed back and all the water spilled out of his bowl. He cried out and fell over.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Luna cried, her heart twisting.

She hurried back to her pack and dug out her tea kettle, which she filled with water from the stream. She righted the Kappa and filled his bowl with water.

"There," she said and offered the cucumber. "Is that better?"

The Kappa blinked slowly and gnawed on the end of the cuke, studying her. He sank back on his heels then leaned against her.

"You made a friend," said Sango.

Luna had a feeling Sango planned all of this. She looked down at her new creature friend with admiration, then shot a grin at her new human friend.

"I'm so glad we aren't planning on eating this one!"


End file.
